"After the least-deadly year for U.S. tornadoes in three decades, 2017 is off to a troublesome start. At least 18 people died over the weekend in two consecutive nights of tornadoes across the Deep South, compared to the total of 17 fatalities recorded for the entire year of 2016. Although midwinter outbreaks don't happen every year in the United States, they're most likely to be across the South when they do occur. Many of the deadliest tornadoes in these outbreaks happen overnight, when residents may be caught asleep or otherwise unaware and when getting to shelter can be difficult. The high proportion of manufactured/mobile homes across the South adds to the vulnerability of residents."

There were also four people killed in Rehobeth, Alabama on January 2nd (Geneva-Houston County Tornado / Rehobeth Thunderstorm Wind Event) that was found to be "strong straight line winds on the southern flank of a tornado just to the north". That tornado was as little as half a mile away (depending on how wide it was at the time) from some of my family members who live just NW of the town, some just outside the city limits, but they only lost power for awhile with no damage.

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More people killed by tornadoes in U.S. so far in 2017 than all of 2016 - Chris in Tampa, 1/24/2017, 7:18 am